Sir Thomas More is considered one of the most significant English intellectuals of the early 16th century. He was an exceptional example of what education could obtain in England. Thomas More was an English lawyer, writer, scholar, leader in Utopian Literature, Member of Parliament, Chancellor and Catholic martyr. More was born into the family of a well-renounced lawyer on February 7, 1478. More’s family, although not that of a noble family, that had a long tradition of civic service to London and to the Crown, which he followed suit later in his life. As a child, he served as a page to the Cardinal Morton household. He received a topnotch education; he attended the finest grammar school in London and at Oxford University and at the Inns
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This occurred shortly within the time that King Henry VIII became determined to obtain a divorce from his current wife Catherine of Aragon. After being denied a divorce, Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome and declared himself “Supreme Head of the Church of England” resulting in the establishment of the Anglican Church, as well as allowing the divorce which he desired. More, being a loyal Catholic, resigned his position as Chancellor after only three years, for he could not overlook Henry’s assertion to lead the England Church. It was in 1534, that More was arrested for refusing to swear an oath of succession renouncing the Pope, and accepting Henry’s new-found supremacy in the church. He was held in the Tower of London until 1535, where we wrote the last of his works on the spiritual benefits of tribulation. On July 6, 1535, More was tried for treason at Westminster, deemed a traitor, and executed on Tower Hill. 400 years later, in 1935, Sir Thomas More was canonized and considered a Catholic Martyr. More led an extremely active life both in the world of literature and in his devotion to London. It was partially due to his work that associated so closely with the King and Parliament, and his strong relationship with the Catholic Church, that More was endowed to not only see the positive and negative outcome of England’s politics but enabled him to imagine
This occurred shortly within the time that King Henry VIII became determined to obtain a divorce from his current wife Catherine of Aragon. After being denied a divorce, Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome and declared himself “Supreme Head of the Church of England” resulting in the establishment of the Anglican Church, as well as allowing the divorce which he desired. More, being a loyal Catholic, resigned his position as Chancellor after only three years, for he could not overlook Henry’s assertion to lead the England Church. It was in 1534, that More was arrested for refusing to swear an oath of succession renouncing the Pope, and accepting Henry’s new-found supremacy in the church. He was held in the Tower of London until 1535, where we wrote the last of his works on the spiritual benefits of tribulation. On July 6, 1535, More was tried for treason at Westminster, deemed a traitor, and executed on Tower Hill. 400 years later, in 1935, Sir Thomas More was canonized and considered a Catholic Martyr. More led an extremely active life both in the world of literature and in his devotion to London. It was partially due to his work that associated so closely with the King and Parliament, and his strong relationship with the Catholic Church, that More was endowed to not only see the positive and negative outcome of England’s politics but enabled him to imagine